


Sometimes You Should Listen to the Romans

by Nonesane



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Genre: Gen, Humor, Rescue, Threats, Yuletide 2010
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-25
Updated: 2010-12-25
Packaged: 2017-10-14 02:50:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/144537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nonesane/pseuds/Nonesane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All rumours that the Romans make up aren't lies. Honestly!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes You Should Listen to the Romans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thisissirius](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisissirius/gifts).



“How did they get here?”

“Who cares? Let’s just get rid of them!”

“Are you mad? People just **appear** on this very remote, very much _secret_ island and all you've got to say is: ‘let’s just get rid of them’? They could be powerful sorcerers for all we know!”

“...Sorcerers. Really?”

“Don’t look at me like that! You've heard the rumours.”

“Cowardly Romans who make up fairy tales of flying, fire-breathing lizards are hardly a reliable source of information. Look, the girl's even run off now! We've only got one pipsqueak of a boy to take care of and there's not even much of him left.”

“Huh?”

“His leg, sodden-rags-for-brains.”

“Oh. Oh! Well, in that case...”

****

Hiccup cursed under his breath and loosened yet another screw from his leg. “Sand,” he muttered to himself as he reattached the pieces he'd removed, “I really need to think up a better way to clean this thing.”

He gave his metal leg a long, less than happy stare. Astrid was probably back with the others already and here he was, too stupid to ask her to steady him, just because he'd been so sure his leg was completely fine. Typical.

Cold steel against his throat and a rough hand suddenly grabbing a hold of his hair tore him off this thought-path and back to reality. The hand whirled him around and he was met by the sight of two men at least three times his age, who – if they hadn't been clean-shaven – one easily could have mistaken for Vikings. They were armed to the teeth and looked less than pleased to see him.

“All right boy, you're coming with us!” the one who'd grabbed him barked and pushed the cold steel – a dagger – harder against his Adam's apple, forcing him to tilt his head up or bleed. “Before you think of pulling some dirty trick, I'll have you know the only reason you're still alive is that our captain will be wanting some answers. We know you've got a lady friend running about, so if you don't behave yourself we'll bleed you dry and go after her next. Understood?”

Hiccup did think of pulling a dirty trick, but just for a second.

“Right then!” the man with the dagger spat. “You're coming with us!”

“You already said that,” the second man pointed out, which earned him a growl from the dagger man.

“Just thought it was a bit redundant, is all,” the second man continued, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

The dagger man huffed and pulled at Hiccup's hair in an attempt at dragging him along. This attempt failed miserably as Hiccup's still uncooperative metal leg locked up and sent them both falling into the sand.

The second man offered the dagger man a hand, but only got a dark glare for his trouble. ”What have you done, you little rat, strapped a sword to your stump?” he shrieked at Hiccup, spitting sand and broken sea shells.

“Actually-” Hiccup began, but never got to finish his sentence; a wall of flames interrupted him.

What followed was a, to Hiccup, somewhat familiar sight: flailing arms, screaming, smoke, bursts of fire and the beat of wings. As usual it ended with a lapful of purring dragon - or, well, at least the head of one; the rest of the body had to settle for the ground next to Hiccup or risk crushing the leg he had left.

Moments after this spectacle another dark shadow blocked the sunlight. “Everything all right?” Astrid's voice called from up above.

Hiccup threw one last look in the direction of the two men, who were cowering behind a big rock. One still had some hair left on his head, but most of it had been burned to soot and ashes. Then he pushed Toothless' head off his knee. “I think so. Go on ahead, I'll be right behind you!”

He swung himself up into Toothless' saddle with practised ease and couldn't help but grin as they took to the air, leaving the two strangers to their fate.

****

“...”

“...”

“Told you they were sorcerers!”

“Shut. Up!”


End file.
